Flexible shaft.



S. CLMOORHEAD.

FLEXIBLE SEAPT.'

APLIGATION FILED NOV. 27. 1909.

979,985. d l Patented Dec.2 7,191o.

I UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

SAMUEL C. MOORHEAD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Decca, 1910.

Application tiled November 27, 1909. Serial No. 530,230.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. MooRHEAD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at,

lvide a more simple, cheap and effective shaft of this character having connecting members attached to the. ends.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved shaft showing one of the end connections removed and the parts thereof separated. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of one end of the shaft showing the parts in their assembled position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring and its connecting socket separated therefronn Referrin now to thedrawings, l represents a coi spring or lmetal coil of which shafts of this character are usually made and having its ends secured in sockets 3 and 4. Said sockets-consist of a body-portion 5, tapering outwardly and having a reduced screw threaded end 6 forming the abrupt shoulder T, the purpose vof which will be hereinafter more fully described. VThe innerend of said socket is provided with an' elongated recess 8 into which extends the end of the metalcoil. 1, and which is rigidly secured therein in any desired manner, suoli as solder or the like as the specific means of fastening the coil in the socket forms no part of my invention. The shoulder 7 limits the inward movement of the bod-y"- portion 5 by engagement with the nut 14, whereby the body portion is prevented from being drawn inwardlytoo far to cnt the fabric covering. y

Surrounding the coil is a woven fabric coverlng 9, which has its ends extending over the sockets 3 and 4, and surrounding the same .and extending outwardly to the abru t shoulder 7 of the socket. Surroundmg t e sockets is a sleeve 10, having a ,tapering bore 11 therethrough and the taper of said bore being the same as that of the.

sockets." The outer end of said sleeve is provided with a laterally extending circular flange 12, which forms means by which the end of the shaft is coupled to the desired machine or instrument and said flange may have openings or other means of connection. The .flange 12 is provided with an opening 13, which communicates with the tapering bore of the sleeve and is of a diameter greater than that of said bore. The sockets extend through the bore of the sleeve and the reducedthreaded outer end 6 extends into the opening 13 in the flange. Screwed upon the said threaded end 6 within the opening isa nut 14, which bears against the shoulder 15 formed by the relative size of the bore and opening. The screwing of said nut in the threaded extension of the socket by means of engagement of the nut with the shoulder 15 draws the socket out and causes a wedging action between the outer tapering face of the socket andthe tapering ,.bore, thus firmly clamping the'fabric covering and absolutely preventing it from Working loose.

By this construction it will be seen that the several parts can be readily separated forrepairing or replacing of a new covering when the same has become worn.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secur by Letters -Patent is:l

' l. A flexible shaft comprising a coiled member, sockets secured to the ends thereof and having tapering outer faces, a covering for said flexible member and extending over the tapering faces of the sockets, a sleeve on each socket and tapering to correspond with the taper of the sockets and having laterally extending flanges carried by the outer'ends and means within thel flanges for tightening said sockets within the sleeves.

2. A Hexible shaft comprising a coiled member, a socket having a recess in its inner end in which the coiled member is secured, said socket having a tapering outer face and reduced screw-threaded outer end, a coverover the tapering face of the socket, a sleeve haying a tapering bore to correspond with the taper of the socket and to receive the lsame and having a laterally extending flange carried bythe outerend thereof and having a recess communicating with the bore of the ing for said coiled member and extendingl sleeve and of a greater diameter, and receiving t-he reduced screw-threaded end of the socket, and a nut screwedupon the threaded end of the socket and bearing against the shoulder formed by the enlarged recess,

whereby the socket is tightly drawn into the' sleeve and clamping the covering between the tapering Walls vof the socket and sleeve.

3. A flexible shaft comprising a coiled member, a socket. having a tapering outer face and reduced screw-threaded outer end, a flexible operating lmember secured to said socket, a covering for saidcoiled member and extending over the t-apering `face of the socket,'a sleeve having a tapering bore to correspond with the taper of the socket and' to receive the same and having attaching means thereon, said sleevel having a recess communicating With the bore thereof and of a greater diameter than the outer end of the sleeve and into which extends the screw,

threaded end of the socket, and a nut screwed upon the threaded end of the socket, the greatest diameter of the nut being less than that of the recess whereby the nut is free to rotate therein and bear against the inner face of the recess.

Ll. A flexible shaft comprising a socket having a taperingouter face and reduced screw threaded portion carried by the small end thereof, a flexible operating member secured to said socket, a covering for said operating mechanism and extending over the tapering face of the socket, la sleevehaving a tapering bore to correspond With the taper of the socket andyto receive the same and having a. lateral flange carried thereby and serving4 as an attaching means, said sleeve having a recess in its outer face communi eating with the bore -thereof and of a greater diameter than the inner end of the bore and a nut screwed upon the' threaded end of the socket and of a thickness a little less than that of the recess forniaking the outer face of the nut slightly beyond the outer face of the flange, the greatest diameter of the'nut being less than that of the recess whereby the nut is free to be rotated therein.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL C. MOOR-HEAD. lVitnesses:

THOMAS B. MeADAMs, VILroRD A. PEARsE. 

